2013 according to what we searched & watched

This year has been one where we were humbled by the fragility of humanity and astonished by its resilience and seemingly endless creative resource. Horrid events in Syria, Boston, and the Philippines reminded us of how quickly our lives can be altered. The death of Nelson Mandela reminded us that one person can make a big difference if they put their heart and mind to it. Andy Murray reminded us that hard work and not giving up can make dreams a reality.

The annual Google Zeitgeist allows us to be reminded of all the big events, good and bad, that have marked the year gone past, and does it with incredible storytelling brilliance. Every year I am convinced that they will not surprise me, or bring tears to my eyes. However, as with the 2012 Zeitgeist (see here) the film for 2013 is absolutely magical. Have a look.

While the Google Zeitgeist film visually recalls the moments that marked 2013, seeing the actual top searches is even more revealing. Below are the top searches for people and events. The examples I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this post are to be seen in these lists but so are the likes of Paul Walker who even trumps Mandela in some places and Miley Cyrus both of whom shocked the world for very different reasons. Another interesting observation is how key tennis tournaments are among the top 10 searches globally. It appears that the sport is making a proper comeback.

2013 has also been a big year of massive entertainment consumption. Youtube captures this in their annual Rewind film. The five minute gem reveals snippets of what was hot in online film through a series of creatively choreographed scenes. It is fun to see how many Youtube sensations you can identify. The section on the Harlem Shake is hilarious. The team who put this together must of had such a fun time. Not only does the film relive the moments that are part of pop-culture, it does so in a way the reflects the direction of film.

If you were having troubles identifying all the Youtube successes, you can always see the top Youtube searches. Once again the Harlem Shake and How Animals Eat Their Food were up in the rankings, yet many musicians with their creative videos got them notoriety. Clearly Youtube is reinforcing itself as the new MTV for those in the music industry.